>>>
MRC on public radio Monday. Tim Graham, Director of Media Analysis at
the MRC, will appear as part of a panel of guests on Monday's Diane
Rehm Show to discuss campaign coverage. Her Washington, DC-based show
airs on WAMU-FM (88.5) from 10am to noon and on public radio stations
around the country at various times. Graham will appear during the
first hour. For a list of stations which carry the show, but without
the air times, go to:http://www.wamu.org/dr/affils.htmlThe Diane Rehm Show Web page: http://www.wamu.org/dr/index.html
<<<

Correction: The October 19 CyberAlert confused the whole point
about how the "Dr. Laura" character remained sitting when
the President on The West Wing entered the room. It stated:
"'President Bartlet' walked into the large room where most
people were standing and talking, but 'Dr. Jena Jacobs' who was
played by a blond women prettier and younger than the real Dr. Laura
(though with the same hair style), remained standing, the relevance of
which you'll soon see." Actually, she remained sitting. The
relevance was that Bartlet, played by Martin Sheen, ended his diatribe
against her: "One last thing. While you may be mistaking this for
your monthly meeting of the ignorant tight-ass club, in this building
when the President stands, nobody sits."
To watch a RealPlayer clip of this scene, go to:http://www.mediaresearch.org/cyberalerts/2000/cyb20001019.asp#7

Clarification: George Bush and Al Gore did tape on Thursday spots
for NBC's Saturday Night Live, as noted in an October 19 CyberAlert
Special. Friday's USA Today, however, reported the taping was not
for tonight but for a special to air on November 5, the Sunday night
before the election.

Not
utilizing Clinton, "an enormous waste of talent." The rare
appearance of Bill Clinton and Gore together Friday for the Mel Carnahan
memorial service combined with a New York Times story on how Clinton feels
slighted by the Gore campaign, led to full stories Friday night, October
20, on the three broadcast networks.

All three included in their stories the soundbite of
Clinton saying he "almost gagged" at how Bush answered a debate
question. ABC and CBS acknowledged Clinton's liability, but stressed how
his popularity could help Gore. ABC's Terry Moran highlighted how
"some Democrats feel Clinton, a superb campaigner, could help Gore
and the President himself is clearly raring to go." CBS's Dan
Rather introduced a story by stressing the opposite of reality: "Vice
President Al Gore said today he quote, 'welcomes' President
Clinton's help in the final days of the campaign." John Roberts
warned of not employing Clinton: "For some Democratic strategists,
it's an enormous waste of talent that could jeopardize Gore's
chances."

Only NBC's Claire Shipman explicitly laid out the
numbers behind the Gore separation strategy: "Polls tell the Gore
team that Clinton is still liability for the Vice President, quote 'ice
on their wings' on the issue of trustworthiness, especially with
undecided voters."

-- ABC's World News Tonight. Terry Moran marveled
at how the Carnahan service brought Clinton and Gore together for the
first time since the "passing of the torch" rally in Michigan
during the Democratic convention. Moran reported:
"Gore officials
say there will be no more joint appearances before election day and the
President will not be asked to hit the trail on his own for the Vice
President because Gore and his strategists have decided that Bill Clinton
could hurt them more than help them. But some Democrats feel Clinton, a
superb campaigner, could help Gore and the President himself is clearly
raring to go as he demonstrated yesterday when he attacked Governor Bush
after Tuesday's debate."
Clinton: "I
almost gagged when I heard that answer on the patients' bill of rights
in Texas. Could you believe that?"

Moran asserted Clinton has volunteered to help Gore,
"but the Vice President, speaking to reporters on Air Force II, made
it clear he doesn't want the President's help."
Gore: "This is
a campaign that I am running on my own and as I've said on previous
occasions I am who I am. I'm running in my own right with my own vision
about the future of our country."
Moran concluded:
"And so for better or worse this political marriage, forged on a
merry bus tour eight years ago, is over. The question is: Will voters
embrace Al Gore on his own?"

ABC followed up with just over two minutes worth of
clips of Bush and Gore jokes told during Thursday night's Al Smith
dinner, an event ignored by CBS and NBC. Peter Jennings set up the
highlight reel: "Which brings us to the question asked in every
presidential campaign: Will Americans vote for a man they like or an
unlikeable man whom they prefer on the issues? And how much of a
difference does a sense of humor make?"

-- CBS Evening News. Dan Rather introduced CBS's
campaign story of the day with a backward lead: "Vice President Al
Gore said today he quote 'welcomes' President Clinton's help in the
final days of the campaign. So what's going on here? CBS's John
Roberts reports the context and why this was even raised as a
question."

John Roberts stressed Clinton's worthiness:
"With polls tilting toward George W. Bush, the Democrats, desperate
for a breakout, have called in their big gun."
Clinton: "Our
strategy should be clarify the issues and we'll win big."
Roberts
acknowledged: "But wary of scandals and his tendency to blow the Vice
President out of the headlines, the Gore campaign has insisted that Mr.
Clinton be relegated to a supporting role -- to get out the vote and raise
money. No stump speeches and no joint appearances."
Gore: "This is
a campaign that I am running on my own and as I've said on previous
occasions, I am who I am."
Roberts: "The
President denied widespread reports that he was
hurt not to be more involved."
Clinton: "I can
tell you categorically that's not true."

Roberts then outlined the risk Gore is taking by not
linking himself to Clinton: "For some Democratic strategists, it's an
enormous waste of talent that could jeopardize Gore's chances."
Bob Beckel:
"What Clinton can do is turn out the Democratic base by attacking
George Bush. Clinton can do that and Gore can't."
Roberts: "As he
did yesterday, hammering Bush on a statement from the last debate."
Clinton: "I
almost gagged when I heard that answer on the patients' bill of rights
in Texas. Could you believe that? Here's a guy takes credit for a bill
that he vetoed."

Sort of like signing a welfare reform bill you
oppose so you can get the credit and then undermine it later?

Roberts picked up: "That criticism, aides say,
was also aimed at the Vice President. Mr. Clinton is frustrated that Gore
has let the Governor off easy, failed to defend the record and articulate
the differences between himself and Bush."
Beckel:
"Clinton believes Al Gore can win this race. But Clinton needs to be
a part of that."

Roberts concluded: "Republicans are already
crowing that Al Gore can't win this on his own and even a former Clinton
strategist says that bringing in the big man 'trivializes' the Vice
President by making Gore look like the younger brother, just when he's
emerged from the shadow."

-- NBC Nightly News. Tom Brokaw briefly noted how
the latest MSNBC/Reuters tracking poll found a tie at 44 percent each for
Bush and Gore.

Claire Shipman reported: "There's word
tonight that in the final days of this cliffhanger campaign, Bill Clinton
is feeling underutilized. And far from denying it, the Gore campaign says
it wants him to keep his distance."

After showing them together at the St. Louis
airport, asserting that Clinton denied he's feeling left out, and
running a soundbite of Gore saying he's running on his own, over video
of Gore at the Democratic convention, Shipman intoned: "Gore aides
say their campaign polling shows voters prefer to see him like this."
Gore at convention:
"I stand here tonight as my own man."

Shipman suggested Clinton can help at boosting
get-out-the-vote rallies without Gore as "polls tell the Gore team
that Clinton is still liability for the Vice President, quote 'ice on
their wings' on the issue of trustworthiness, especially with undecided
voters."

A third Clinton term? FNC's Special Report with
Brit Hume on Friday delivered evidence of why Gore wants Clinton far away
from him. Anchor Tony Snow read the answer to a Fox News/Opinion Dynamics
question: "Would you want a third Clinton term?" Yes, replied
just 25 percent; no said an overwhelming 73 percent.

Bias in
picking which Letterman "Top Ten" items to showcase? On
Friday's Today David Gregory highlighted how one of George Bush's
"Top Ten Changes I'll Make in the Whiter House," included:
"Give Oval Office one heck of a scrubbing." But CBS's The
Early Show didn't play that anti-Clinton one and on ABC's Good Morning
America Antonio Mora referred to it well into the show, but Diane Sawyer
scolded him for mentioning it.

A comparison of which entries ABC and CBS chose to
highlight the mornings after the Gore and Bush appearances on Letterman
found both shows showcased the most derogatory one about Bush while CBS
played only positive ones about Gore and ABC ran a balanced selection from
Gore's list.

-- CBS's The Early Show on Friday ran only a clip
of Bush reading a single self-derogatory entry: "Make sure the White
House library has lots of books with big print and pictures."

But the morning after Gore's Letterman appearance,
The Early Show played clips of Gore reading two self-promotional items
from his "Top Ten Rejected Gore-Lieberman Campaign Slogans."
Viewers saw Gore announce, "With Lieberman on the ticket you get all
kinds of fun new days off" and "We know when the microphone is
on." Bill Plante added on the September 15 show: "And number
one, quote, he'd be twice as cool as that President guy on the West
Wing."

-- ABC's Good Morning America. Back in September
GMA opened with Gore's self-deprecating entry ("Remember, America:
I Gave You The Internet, And I Can Take It Away. Think About It") and
in a segment with George Stephanopoulos, played Gore announcing one
unfavorable and two favorable to him: "Vote For Me Or I'll Come To
Your Home And Explain My 191-Page Economic Plan To You In Excruciating
Detail"; "With Lieberman on the Ticket, You Get All Kinds of Fun
New Days Off" and "I'll Be Twice As Cool As That President Guy
on 'The West Wing.'"

Five weeks later, however, GMA led at 7am, straight
from the station ID, with Bush announcing the one about getting books with
big pictures. GMA later showed Bush reading this one: "Will not get
sick on Japanese leaders like other President Bushes I know."

At about 7:50am, after running some clips of Bush
and Gore jokes at the Al Smith dinner, with some trepidation, news reader
Antonio Mora raised the anti-Clinton item in Bush's Top Ten: "Bush
did a Top Ten List yesterday on Letterman also, and my favorite, I don't
know if I can say this on morning television, it's about what Top Ten
things he'd do when he became President, and he said he'd give the
Oval Office a very good scrubbing. Sorry, Diane, couldn't resist."
Jack Ford: "I
don't know if you can say that or not."
Diane Sawyer,
feigning outrage: "I never met these people. I just walked in this
morning."

For the record, here are the complete lists from
which networks producers had to select:

-- George Bush's October 19 "Top Ten Changes
I'll Make in the White House."

10. To save taxpayer dollars, calls to winning sports teams will be
collect
9. New rule at cabinet meetings -- you can't talk until you ride the
mechanical bull
8. Goodbye boring presidential radio address -- hello "Dick Cheney
Spins the Hits of the 80's, 90's and Today"
7. Make sure the White House library has lots of books with big print and
pictures
6. Just for fun, issue executive order commanding my brother Jeb to wash
my car
5. First day in office my mother's face goes up on Mount Rushmore
4. Look into hiring a security guard for our nuclear secrets
3. Will not get sick on Japanese leaders like other President Bushes I
know
2. Give Oval Office one heck of a scrubbing
1. Tax relief for all Americans -- except smart aleck talk show hosts

10. "Vote For Me Or I'll Come To Your Home And Explain My 191-Page Economic Plan To You In Excruciating
Detail"
9. "Remember, America: I Gave You The Internet, And I Can Take It Away. Think About It"
8. "Your Vote Automatically Enters You In Drawing For The 123 Billion-Dollar
Budget Surplus"
7. "With Lieberman On The Ticket, You Get All Kinds Of Fun New Days
Off"
6. "We Know When The Microphone Is On"
5. "Vote For Me, And I Will Take Whatever Steps Necessary To Outlaw
The Term, 'Whazzzup!'"
4. "Gore/Lieberman -- You Don't Have To Worry About Pork Barrel
Politics"
3. "You'll Thank Us In Four Years When The Escalator To The Moon Is
Finished"
2. "If I Can Handle Letterman, I Can Handle Saddam Hussein"
1. "I'll Be Twice As Cool As That President Guy On 'The West
Wing'"

Rosie's
rosy embrace of Gore. Rosie O'Donnell not only tossed softball questions
to Al Gore which matched his political agenda, during his Friday
appearance on her Warner Brothers-produced daytime TV talk show she
complimented and endorsed his answers. Gore could not have dreamed of a
more amiable showcase.

O'Donnell didn't hide her hope he wins as she
introduced him on the October 20 program:
"With the
election less than three weeks away, I'm delighted that our first guest
decided to pay us a visit. He's received the support of the American
Federation of Teachers, the National Association of Police Organizations,
the AFL-CIO, Jim and Sarah Brady, the Sierra Club, and me."

At the end of the first segment, which mainly
consisted of small talk about Gore's family, O'Donnell trumpeted the
Clinton-Gore record: "A lot has been said about what's been done in
the last eight years. A lot of good if you ask me."

For the next two segments, interspersed with her own
liberal comments, such as denouncing school vouchers, O'Donnell posed
questions to Gore selected from ones submitted on her Web site and by fax.
Every inquiry matched a Gore agenda point. Amongst her topics: "How
to you plan to make prescription drugs more affordable for seniors?";
"How are you going to continue to help lower-income families afford
quality child care?" and "What rights could be at risk"
from Supreme Court retirements?

The only thing approaching a negative question was
about Clinton's behavior, but O'Donnell only wanted to know why it
"sort of tarnished you when it has nothing to do with you?"

MRC intern Ken Shepherd painstakingly went through
Gore's appearance to take down excerpts of O'Donnell's admiring
approach:

-- "Here's question number one: 'As a
parent, I'm concerned about violence my kids are exposed to on TV and
movies and video games and the Internet. What do you propose to be done to
protect kids from these dangerous influences?'"

After Gore claimed he's taken a tough line with a
crackdown on marketing to kids, O'Donnell observed: "You know, when
I was a kid, it seemed that all the violent shows or the cop shows had to
be on after 10 o'clock. So that, you know, if you were up then, if you
were a kid, you shouldn't be up then, that's bad parenting. But, you
know, it's not like a kid can come home from school and see violence on
TV like they can now, which is sad."
Gore: "...some
kids have nightmares when they see violent stuff. Some kids are vulnerable
to acting out and imitating what they've seen."
O'Donnell:
"Well, worse, they're desensitized and they think it's no big
deal to bring a gun to school or what not."
Gore:
"Yeah!"

-- O'Donnell: "Here's another question for
ya, 'How to you plan to make prescription drugs more affordable for
seniors?' We seem to get that question a lot."

After Gore outlined his plan, O'Donnell chipped
in: "That's simple and easy. You know, we had some issue in our
family, my nephew was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis."
Gore: "I'm
sorry."
O'Donnell:
"Yeah, my brother was with an HMO, and you know, to go, to try
luckily to have the resources they have through me and financial and the
contacts to get the baby the best treatment but not everybody has that
luxury."
Gore: "Right,
that's right. And it's outrageous that the recommendations of doctors
are now routinely being overruled by clerks working for HMOs who sit
behind computer terminals. They don't have a license to practice
medicine, they shouldn't have the right to play God. We need a piece of
legislation, known as the Dingell-Norwood bill, a bipartisan Patient's
Bill of Rights, that takes the medical decisions away from the HMOs and
gives them back to the doctors."

-- O'Donnell: "That seems sensible enough to
me. How do you plan to make schools accountable for quality."
Gore: "Well, I
think testing is important but it's not good enough in itself...I think
that education ought to be the number one priority for our country...you
need more one-on-one time, that means you need fewer kids in each class
which means two things in turn: you got to recruit new teachers and that
means treating teachers like the professionals they are."
O'Donnell:
"And increasing their pay."
Gore:
"Absolutely."
O'Donnell:
"Without a doubt."
Gore: "In
return for better performance. Absolutely. And also, you've got to build
new schools and modernize existing schools and local communities find it
very hard to do that on their own..."
O'Donnell:
"And you are against school vouchers."
Gore: "I am
simply because it's the wrong time to drain money away from public
schools."
O'Donnell:
"Public schools, and I couldn't agree more. I think it will be the
death of public education in America."
Gore: "It would
be, it would be."

-- O'Donnell: "How are you going to continue
to help lower-income families afford quality child care which is a huge
problem for most of the women watching TV here?"

O'Donnell: "Some of my friends are working so
that they can pay for the daycare. Like, you know a married couple and the
wife is working just to pay for the daycare."
Gore: "And the
daycare workers are not earning enough..."
O'Donnell:
"It's wrong."....
O'Donnell:
"We have very skewed priorities when it comes to education, I think,
and it is my opinion as well, the most important issue."

-- O'Donnell: "...A lot of people were
writing in questions that would try to like incorporate into one question
about, you know, their disappointment in the lack of morality from
President Clinton and how they feel that's an important issue and why
has that sort of tarnished you when it has nothing to do with you?"

O'Donnell: "I definitely think the last eight
years the country has been a much better place than it had been in a long
time."

-- O'Donnell: "This is my passionate issue as
you might know. 'You've done so much to advance the cause of gun
control. How do you plan to make schools gun free and will you be able to
really stand for gun control when it seems that the forces against it have
so much power.'"

O'Donnell: "There was a question at the
debate the other night where someone said they saw an ad that the NRA had
claimed that if George Bush is elected they would have an office in the
White House. They did in fact make that statement."
Gore: "They did."
O'Donnell:
"Yes. Good to know. Okay."

-- O'Donnell: "'There's been some talk
this campaign that Texas ranks low in health care for women and children.
It didn't seem to be answered in the debate, true or not true?"

-- O'Donnell: "'Okay, one of the
President's most important functions is to appoint Supreme Court
justices. What rights could be at risk now that three or four appointments
are on the verge."
Gore: "A
woman's right to choose is hanging now by a 5 to 4 balance in the
current Supreme Court... I want to make abortion safe, legal, and
rare...but I am totally opposed to having the government come in and
substitute its judgment about a woman's own body, and her destiny, and
her own future. A woman should have that right to choose."
O'Donnell:
"Yeah, I happen to agree with you on that as well although I
personally feel I could ever bring myself to have an abortion, I've
luckily never been in that position. I under-"
Gore: "And you
know, it's different from your personal view..."

-- O'Donnell: "'What do you plan to do for
working parents whose children may not have someplace safe to go after
school?'"
Gore: "...this
is crazy to leave kids to their own devices in those vulnerable afternoon
hours when nobody is watching."
O'Donnell:
"Yep, I agree with that. 'You helped enact the Adoption in Safe
Families Act which greatly increased the number of children in foster care
who were adopted. How do you plan to keep this trend going?' Something
close to me."

O'Donnell ended her love fest: "It is
thrilling to have you here sir. I hope to see you in the White House come
November. Thank you very, very much."

And one
last Bush on Letterman development: On Friday night David Letterman showed
what Bush did with his glasses during a commercial break during
Thursday's appearance. As Late Show producer Maria Pope leaned over the
front of the desk to talk to Letterman, with her back to the audience,
Bush leaned forward in his chair, grabbed a corner of her lightweight
cloth jacket, and wiped his glasses with it.

She didn't even notice, but Letterman played the
tape back twice.

Maybe the campaign could provide Bush with a Kleenex
or two to keep in his pocket. -- Brent Baker

>>>
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